Molybdenum(III) Chloride

See more Molybdenum products. Molybdenum (atomic symbol: Mo, atomic number: 42) is a Block D, Group 6, Period 5 element with an atomic weight of 95.96. The number of electrons in each of molybdenum's shells is [2, 8, 18, 13, 1] and its electron configuration is [Kr] 4d⁵ 5s¹. The molybdenum atom has a radius of 139 pm and a Van der Waals radius of 209 pm. In its elemental form, molybdenum has a gray metallic appearance. Molybdenum was discovered by Carl Wilhelm in 1778 and first isolated by Peter Jacob Hjelm in 1781. Molybdenum is the 54th most abundant element in the earth's crust. It has the third highest melting point of any element, exceeded only by tungsten and tantalum. Molybdenum does not occur naturally as a free metal, it is found in various oxidation states in minerals. The primary commercial source of molybdenum is molybdenite, although it is also recovered as a byproduct of copper and tungsten mining. The origin of the name Molybdenum comes from the Greek word molubdos meaning lead.

Chlorine is a Block P, Group 17, Period 3 element. Its electron configuration is [Ne]3s²3p⁵. The chlorine atom has a covalent radius of 102±4 pm and its Van der Waals radius is 175 pm. In its elemental form, chlorine is a yellow-green gas. Chlorine is the second lightest halogen after fluorine. It has the third highest electronegativity and the highest electron affinity of all elements, making it a strong oxidizing agent. It is rarely found by itself in nature. Chlorine was discovered and first isolated by Carl Wilhelm Scheele in 1774. It was first recognized as an element by Humphry Davy in 1808.